Those back to school circulars, the dog daze of August, and the grasping for final trips to the beach and the woods and the lakes. All make me think of, and feel one thing.... time for another school year to begin.
Back to Charter Oak Academy...back to a resurfaced facade, new paint, new floors, and another step forward towards International Baccalaureate recognition. It's exciting (has to be) and daunting at the same time. I find it's during these days that I recall and repeat the words of Frank Yulo from the alternate route back in 1988 (really? that long ago???). He explained his dislike for first days...and last days. The uncertainty of the first days, the time to relinquish some freedom and a more flexible schedule, and the natural challenges that wait beyond the closed doors (hopefully with a new coat of paint on them).
And those last days, saying goodbye, letting go of projects not quite finished, and the hope we made progress with every student in the school. Seems like a few days ago. In a conversation with a soon-to-be fifth grader NY the other day, I was confronted with what a short time 8 weeks can be. At the same time, I was excited about the challenge of re-connecting with this guy and his classmates in a few days.
This is the cyclical phenomenon of being an educator, knowing that there's a new group of students waiting outside the door, needing what we have to offer. And our challenge...is to do it better than we did before. Continual improvement, lifelong learning, the pursuit of happiness (?). Hard to effectively convey that feeling to those who have not lived it over the years.
So, it's time to get the haircut, sharpen pencils (literally), restock the notebooks, clean out old files, and start the process again. Reach them...so we can teach them. 
